New Year's Eve
by MissyMo2005
Summary: A different take on New Years Eve in which Cal is unwell, but doesn't meet Taylor in the bar. Despite his protests that he's fine, he ends up being sent home with Ethan to take care of him. (Story is much better than the summary!)
1. Chapter 1

_Hey guys, this is the first Casualty story Ive written, hopefully it's not too awful! Was written late at night so excuse any mistakes._

* * *

><p>Cal pressed his hand to his forehead, as though that would some how help to get rid of the headache that was pounding behind it. Leaning back against the wall, which felt fantastically cool compared to his feverish skin, he stared at the piece of paper in front of him trying to focus his eyes on the patients name. He should've stayed home, he'd realised that more or less as soon as he'd walked in to the ED that morning. He'd felt unwell the night before, but he'd insisted on getting up and dragging himself in to work regardless- he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a day off sick. Caleb Knight didn't get sick, something he'd reminded his younger brother of that morning after Ethan had commented he looked like death warmed up.<p>

"Cal!" He was snapped back down to earth by Zoe's voice, much too loud in his ear. "Give me that! You look worse than the patient!" She commented, snatching the paper out of his hand. "Why don't you do home?"

Cal rubbed gently at his forehead, trying to ignore the fact the room around him was beginning to spin slightly. "I'm fine, we are short staffed enough as it is." He mumbled back, reaching for the paper she had just snatched from him.

Zoe shook her head, taking in the sight of the man stood in front of her. He was as white as a ghost and she could see the thin sheen of sweat glistening on his skin. "If you're refusing to

go home then will you please just go and sit down for ten minutes? It's busy enough in here, the last thing I need is to be scraping you up off the floor." She said sternly, her face breaking in to a sympathetic smile as Cal nodded weakly in agreement.

He'd had every intention of asking if he could leave, until he'd walked up behind Tess mid rant about how short staffed they were. She had a point, New Year's Eve was sure to be one of the busiest nights of the year, so he'd taken some more paracetamol and gone back to work in the hope he'd start feeling better. He couldn't let the team down. "You look terrible mate!" Max commented as Cal stumbled in to the staff room and flopped down on the sofa.

Cal rolled his eyes. "So I've been told." He retorted. "It's fine, just a virus." He'd lost count of how many times he'd said that in the past hour alone. He was starting to wonder if he'd feel better if he repeated it enough times. The wave of nausea that suddenly washed over him would certainly suggest otherwise.

Max laughed quietly, getting up and walking over to the door. "Good luck to you mate, you're going to need it!" He chuckled, walking back out in to the bustling ED.

"Cal?" Ethan burst in to the staff room loudly, causing Cal to wake with a jolt. "What are you doing?!" Ethan demanded as he leant over his older brother.

"Sorry, I'm coming. What did you need?" Cal asked him, pushing himself up off the sofa with considerable effort, only to grab hold of his brothers arm to steady himself as the room around him began spinning violently.

"Cal?" Ethan's face was one of concern when Cal tentatively opened his eyes again, hastily releasing his vice like grip of his brothers arm once he was convinced he would be able to stay upright on his own.

"I'm fine, you worry too much." Cal said bluntly, answering the question Ethan hadn't even managed to ask yet. He could feel Ethan staring at him as he looped his stethoscope around his neck and made his way to the door. "Where did you need me?" He asked.

"Um, yeah, right." Ethan answered reluctantly once he'd remembered why he'd been looking for his brother in the first place. "Connie wants you in cubicles to help me clear the backlog." He explained, following after his brother.

"Okay, fine." Cal said dismissively as they made their way through to cubicles. He groaned internally as he saw how busy reception was, there was no chance of him having an easy shift and managing to sneak out early. With a sigh he pulled back the curtain ready to see his next patient. He had a feeling this was going to be one of the longest shifts of his life.

* * *

><p>"Cal!" He turned around as he heard someone call his name.<p>

"Hey guys." He greeted them as cheerfully as he could muster as he saw a large grouP of his colleagues walking towards him.

"You coming to the pub?" Big Mac asked him as they all made their way towards the door.

Cal hesitated, he usually loved New Years but as much as he hated to admit it he wanted nothing more than to go and crawl in to his bed. "I don't know guys, it's been a hell of a day and I really don't-" he didn't even get the chance to get to the end of his excuse before max cut him off.

"Don't be such a spoil sport!" He laughed. "Of course he's coming, aren't you Cal!" He announced loudly.

"Fine, but I'm leaving straight after midnight." He told max firmly. He couldn't help but feel relieved as they walked out in to the freezing cold winter air, he'd been burning up all afternoon and the stuffy air of cubicles certainly hadn't been helping.

"Cal." He heard Zoe call his name as she rushed to catch up with him. "Are you sure you don't want to give this a miss?" She raised an eyebrow at him questioningly as he turned to face him. He looked worse than he had done before, something she hadn't actually thought possible. She reached up and placed her hand against his forehead, as he stepped backwards quickly in an attempt to stop her. "You're burning up Cal!" She scolded him.

He shrugged, reaching for the door handle to make his way in to the pub. "I'll be fine, it's nothing." He said dismissively, walking towards the bar. "I'll get you a drink?" He asked her.

Zoe nodded. "Red wine please." She said, leaning against the bar beside him. "You know what they say Cal, doctors always make the worst patients." She gratefully took the glass he passed her and made their way over to join the rest of the team.

"Jesus Cal, I'm surprised you're still standing!" Noel joked as he sat down at the table. "You'd better not be spreading whatever you've got- you look like death warmed up!"

Cal pulled a face, taking a tiny sip of his pint. "Very funny." He replied sarcastically. He was starting to think he should've taken Zoe's advice and gone straight home to bed. His stomach was churning once again and the room was beginning to spin again slightly. Noel's voice sounding as though it was coming from a long way away rather than just across the table.

He eventually realised Noel was staring at him, along with the majority of the other people at the table. "Go home Cal." Tess said gently from across the table. "You haven't looked well all day, you should've said something."

"I'm-" Cal opened his mouth to protest, although he knew it was probably useless. His body was well and truly betraying his attempts to convince everyone he was fine, his hands trembling slightly as he reached for his almost untouched pint.

"If you try and say you're fine one more time I swear to god I'm going to hit you." Zoe announced.

Cal rolled his eyes at her again. "Fine!" He muttered, pulling his car keys out of his pocket. " I'm going, have a good night." As he stood up and pushed his chair back he staggered back violently, Lofty grabbing hold of him and steadying it.

"Woah! You alright mate?" He asked, keeping a firm grip on Cal's arm as he swayed unsteadily.

"There is no way you're in any fit state to be driving anywhere!" Zoe said firmly, taking the keys from his hand. "Does anyone know where Ethan is?" She asked, looking around the table at their colleagues.

"He was finishing up in the ED when we left." Louise told her. "He's probably still there."

Zoe nodded. "Thanks Louise. Lofty, can you give me a hand?" She nodded towards Cal who looked as though he was about to protest again.

"Come on mate." Lofty said holding Cal up as they slowly pulled him towards the door. "Someone get me another drink for when I get back!" He called over his shoulder as they reached the door.

"Me too!" Zoe laughed from the other side of Cal.

"This is really unnecessary." Cal mumbled, leaning heavily against his friends as they dragged him towards the ED.

"Ethan, thank god!" Lofty called as they met Ethan coming out to the car park.

"What's wrong with him?" Ethan asked worriedly, rushing towards his brother. "Surely he can't be that drunk already?"

"I'm fine!" Cal protested, pulling his arms free from Lofty and Zoe, only for them to grab hold of him again as he swayed slightly.

"Clearly you're not!" Ethan sighed. "Thanks guys, I'll make sure he gets home. Enjoy your night." He smiled, taking Cal's keys from Zoe and slowly leading his brother in the direction of the car. "I told you to stay home." He remarked as Cal collapsed in to the passenger seat of the car.

"Well aren't you hilarious." Cal muttered in reply as Ethan got in to the drivers seat. He pressed his head against the cool glass of the window as Ethan began to drive home, trying desperately to ignore the increasing feeling of nausea that only rose each time Ethan turned a corner.

He'd managed to suppress it fairly well, until they stepped in to the flat. He shoved past Ethan and raced in to the bathroom, hunched over the toilet bowl. A couple of moments later Ethan appeared behind him, passing him a glass of water.

"Thanks." Cal mumbled, not getting any further in to his sentence before a coughing fit overcame him.

Once he'd eventually stopped coughing Ethan pulled him to his feet, helping him down the hallway and in to his bedroom. "Get in to bed, I'll be back in a second." Ethan ordered, disappearing again before Cal had any opportunity to argue with him.

When he returned a few moments later, holding some ibuprofen and a thermometer Cal was sprawled out on the bed, having stripped out of his jeans and changed in to a pair of shorts. "Cal!" Ethan shook him gently, Cal's eyes opening groggily and looking at his brother in confusion before he started coughing again. When he'd stopped coughing Ethan held the ibuprofen out to him. "Take these." He instructed him, before placing the thermometer on his brothers forehead as he flopped back against the pillows.

"Stop fussing." Cal argued weakly, although he knew it was useless trying to argue with his brother while he was in his current state.

"39 degrees." Ethan said, removing the thermometer from his brothers forehead, frowning in concern as Cal started coughing again. "You need to get plenty of rest and-"

Cal interrupted his brother. "Incase it escaped you, I did go to medical school." He joked weakly as Ethan stood up and walked towards the door.

"I'll come back and check on you in a bit, let me know if you need anything." He said, pulling the bedroom door closed behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

_I hadn't originally intended on writing any more to this but as a few people have asked me I thought I'd give it a go!_

* * *

><p>Ethan made his way down the hallway to bed at around 12.30. He'd stayed up just long enough to watch the fireworks on tv before he'd called it a night. He'd never really been one for New Year's Eve parties, unlike Cal. That was the biggest indication of how unwell his brother was, the fact he was lying in his bed on one of the biggest party nights of the year, totally sober. It was unheard of.<p>

Walking quietly through the flat he turned out the lights, hesitating outside Cal's door. After a few seconds, he opened the door slowly, peering around. When he didn't get a sarcastic comment from his brother about him worrying too much he figured it was probably safe to enter the room. He crept towards the bed, gently placing his hand against his brothers forehead, which was still burning. He frowned, listening to the quiet wheeze of Cal's breathing. Reaching for the thermometer on the bedside table he laid it on his forehead, watching in concern as the reading increased, his temperature having risen by half a degree since he'd first taken it. He hesitated for a moment, contemplating waking his brother up to try and get him to take some more medication in the hope it might help to reduce his fever a little. He decided against it in the end, figuring he'd just let him sleep for a few hours and check on him again later.

* * *

><p>When Ethan woke at 7am it took him a moment to work out where the noise that had woken him was coming from. After a few seconds he realised it was Cal, throwing up in the bathroom- a sound he'd become far too familiar with since he'd allowed his brother to move in with him. He'd actually lost count of the times Cal had been passed out drunk on the bathroom floor.<p>

Getting out of bed and getting dressed he made his way out of the bedroom, grabbing a glass of water out of the kitchen and taking it in to the bathroom. "Sorry." Cal muttered, leaning over the toilet bowl and retching once again. He gratefully accepted the water Ethan was holding out to him, rinsing out his mouth before pushing himself unsteadily to his feet.

As he stood up Ethan caught sight of a trail of blood, dripping down from the right hand side of his brothers head. "What happened to your head?" He asked quickly, stepping closer in an attempt to look at the injury.

"It's nothing." Cal dismissed him, his fingers reaching up to dab at the blood that was trickling steadily from his head. "I think I hit it on the toilet, I slipped."

Ethan didn't miss the way his brother winced as his fingers made contact with the injury. "Will you just quit trying to pretend you're superman and let me look at it?" Ethan asked him, stepping closer.

Cal considered arguing, then changed his mind. He knew Ethan wasn't going to leave it until he'd got his way. "Fine,if you insist. I'll be in the kitchen." He told him, shuffling out of the bathroom and making his way through to the kitchen where he flopped down in a chair. As much as he hated to admit it, Ethan was right- he never should've gone to work yesterday.

Ethan came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, frowning with concern as he looked at the state of his brother. He was sat at the table, head rested back against the wall and his eyes closed. His forehead was shimmering slightly with a thin film of sweat. "Cal?" Ethan shook him gently, as he reached him, causing his brothers eyes to fly open. "Take these." He handed him a couple of paracetamol before leaning over to see what he'd done to his head.

"Sorry." Ethan muttered, hearing his brother wince as he dabbed at the blood around the wound. "That's going to need stitches." He told him eventually, causing Caleb to sigh loudly.

"Well isn't that just great." He muttered as Ethan washed his hands.

"If you get dressed I'll take you in and get them done?" Ethan offered apologetically. "I'm due in to work in half an hour anyway."

Cal nodded. "Thanks Mate." He said, standing up slowly, ready to grab hold of the table to steady himself if need be. "I'm fine!" He snapped at Ethan, who was lurking behind him ready to catch him.

"Only trying to help." Ethan said, holding his hands up in mock surrender as his brother made his way back to his bedroom to get dressed.

* * *

><p>The journey to the ED was silent, Cal focusing all him energy on keeping the toast Ethan had force fed him down. He could feel Ethan watching him warily as they walked in to the ED, as though he was waiting for him to collapse at any moment.<p>

"You have got to be kidding me!" He turned around slowly on hearing Zoe's voice behind them. "You aren't seriously going to let him work today?" She looked at Ethan as she approached them.

Ethan shook his head. "He hit his head this morning and it's probably going to need stitches. I'm calling him a cab straight after. He's in no fit state to do anything today."

"I'm standing right here you know." Cal muttered.

"Okay, well Connie was looking for you Ethan." She nodded towards Connie's office. "I'll sort him out and make sure he gets home okay." She promised as Ethan hesitantly made his way to see what Connie wanted.

"Zoe, this really isn't necessary." Cal grumbled as she dragged him in to an empty cubicle.

"Just shut up Cal and this will be over much quicker." She laughed quietly as Cal pulled a face before climbing on to the bed reluctantly.

"I'm just saying, this seems like a waste of NHS resources." He muttered as Zoe pulled on a pair of gloves and peered at the top of his head. "I'm a doctor, I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself."

Zoe laughed quietly. "Ordinarily I would agree with you, but you've proven you can't be trusted to take care of yourself! How did you do this anyway?" She asked, looking away from the wound to his face which was almost as pale as the White bed sheets.

"I hit it on the toilet." Cal muttered. "I think I probably fainted or something. I don't really remember."

Zoe looked at him sympathetically. "I told you to go home and take it easy yesterday." She told him, pulling of her gloves. "I'm going to send Tess in to suture that and you'd better still be there and cooperate with her or I can promise you your life will be a living hell for the next few months. That is a promise!" She threatened, smiling as Cal relaxed back against the pillows with an exasperated sigh. "Good boy!" She laughed, pulling the curtain closed as she left the cubicle.

"Cal?" The next thing he was aware of was Tess leaning over him, her hand against his forehead. "Sorry, I didn't want to wake you but I need to get this sutured. Have you checked your temperature?" She asked him.

"Really Tess, it's fine. Just a virus." He said quickly. "As soon as this is done I'm going home to bed." He told her, just as another coughing fit overcame him.

Tess frowned in concern. "I'm going to suture that." She gestured to his head. "Then I'm going to check your temperature and get Zoe to check that cough. I insist, so there is no point in arguing with me." She told him sternly.

Cal leant his head back, knowing there was very little point getting in to an argument with Tess- he'd never win. "Let's just get this over with." He muttered.

He laid on the bed silently as Tess quickly stitched the wound on his head, something which surprised her greatly- she'd anticipated much more resistance from the doctor. "Right then." She announced, sticking a dressing over the stitches. "I'm going to go and get a thermometer, I'll be back in a second." She told him, disappearing before Cal could even think about arguing with her. He relaxed back against the pillows and closed his eyes while he waited for her to come back, too exhausted to even try and protest.

"Right then!" Tess made him jump slightly as she suddenly appeared beside the bed before placing the thermometer in his ear. "40.2." She frowned at him as she removed the thermometer.

"I'll be fine." Cal told her weakly, desperately wishing the room around him would stop spinning. "Can I go now?"

Tess shook her head. "40.2 is not fine! Stay put, I'm going to find Zoe." She instructed him sternly.

He'd just caught his breath again after another coughing fit when Tess appeared again followed by Zoe. He opened his mouth to protest that this was all incredibly unnecessary, but Zoe cut him off before he had a chance to get the words out. "Shut up Cal, I meant what I said." She warned him, pulling her stethoscope from around her neck. "Sit forward." She instructed him, Cal reluctantly obeying her orders.

"Deep breath." She instructed, Cal rolling his eyes in response, before dissolving in to another coughing fit as he followed her instructions. "Okay, sit back." She said, Tess pushing him gently back against the bed.

"I'm fine really, this isn't necessary." He muttered.

"How long have you felt like this?" Zoe asked him as she looped her stethoscope back around her neck. "I want the honest answer."

Cal shrugged. "I don't know, maybe since last week?"

Zoe and Tess exchanged a look. "And what would you be saying if you'd had a patient turn up with the same symptoms as you?" Zoe asked him, folding her arms.

Cal pulled a face. "Yeah okay, I get your point. I'm going home to go to bed. Promise." He told them, sitting up and swinging his legs over the bed. "I'll wait in the staff room for a taxi." He told them as he climbed off the bed. His feet had hardly touched the floor before the room started spinning violently, causing him to stagger towards Tess who quickly grabbed hold of him and pushed him back on to the bed.

"You're not going anywhere in this state." Zoe shook her head. "When was the last time you ate or drank something?" She asked him as he flopped back against the pillows.

"The last thing I ate without throwing up was probably lunch yesterday." He admitted, rubbing his forehead as he attempted to will away the headache that was flaring up again.

He missed the look Zoe and Tess exchanged as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Right, well that explains a lot. Did you pay any attention in medical school? Hook him up to some IV fluids and make sure he eats something. I'll be back in a bit." Zoe sighed as she left the cubicle.

"You really don't need to do this Tess!" Cal moaned as she got the IV ready. "I'm fine!"

Tess shook her head at him. "Doctors really are the worst patients! Just lay back and let me get on with this. If I have to go and tell Zoe you've refused to let me do this you know you'll regret it."

Cal rolled his eyes before rolling up his sleeve and holding his arm out to her. "Fine." He muttered, Tess laughing quietly as she began to set it up.

"You should be glad you've got an excuse to be tucked away in here- Connie's on the war path!" Tess told him with a knowing look that Cal couldn't help but laugh at.

Just as Tess was getting ready to insert the needle the curtain to the cubicle was flung open. "Ah, Doctor Knight!" She said, glaring at Cal. "Can I ask why you appear to be taking up one of my beds with a hangover?" She demanded as Ethan appeared behind her.

"Connie, I really don't think this is-" Tess started but was quickly stopped by an icy glare from Connie.

"You're on the rota to work today Doctor Knight, and as its all hand on deck you've got five minutes to get out here. If you can stand then you can work. Maybe in the future you'll refrain from partying quite so hard when you have to work the next morning!" She told him firmly, before quickly walking away.

Cal shrugged at Tess, before sliding of the bed, thankfully managing to keep his balance this time. "I'd better go get changed then!" He shrugged. "I'm fine Tess, you're as bad as Ethan!" He laughed, making his way to the staff room to get changed before Connie came looking for him again, secretly relieved he wasn't going to be trapped in bed by Tess and Zoe all day. He'd managed to get through his shift yesterday and he'd manage again- he couldn't see what all the fuss was about.


	3. Chapter 3

_not really sure I'm happy with how this turned out but I'll post it for now- I might edit it a bit in the future. _

"Mr Walker is ready to go." Cal said, leaning back against the desk. "what's next Rita?" He asked the nurse as he fanned himself with the patients notes in a useless attempt to cool himself down a little.

"How about a break?" Rita suggested, watching him warily as though she was concerned he would pass out any second.

"I'm with Rita, I think that's an excellent idea!" Ethan added, walking up behind his brother. "Better yet, I could call you a cab and you could just go home like you promised me you would!"

Cal rolled his eyes. "Just leave it, both of you. I'm due a break in..." He paused to look at the clock. "An hour and half and I'll take one then. Until then I've got patients to see." He held his hand out to Rita for the next patients notes.

With a sigh Rita gave in and passed them to him, giving Ethan an apologetic look. "Rachel Martin, age 18. Query fractured ankle. Cubicle 3." She told him, following him in the direction of the patient. She nearly ran straight in to the back of him after he came to an abrupt stop outside the cubicle, thrusting the patients notes in to her hands and making a dash in to the men's toilets.

Collapsing to his knees Cal emptied the remaining contents of his stomach in to the toilet, wiping roughly at his mouth before going to wash his hands. Stepping out of the toilets he found Rita waiting for him with a bottle of water. "Do you make a habit of lurking outside the men's?" Cal joked as she thrust the water in to his hands.

"What is it with men and their refusal to admit they're unwell?" Rita asked, handing the patients notes back to him as they started walking back towards the cubicle. "Just admit defeat and go home!"

Cal shook his head as he started coughing again. "Right then." He said pulling back the curtain to the cubicle. "Let's take a look at this ankle." He smiled at the patient. His hands were trembling slightly as he pulled on a pair of gloves and gently examined the girls ankle. "That's going to need an X-ray, but I'm pretty sure it's broken." He confirmed. "Could you organise that please Rita and I'll be back when we have the results." Rita nodded, smiling at the patient before quickly following after Cal.

"Who's next?" He mumbled, gripping tightly on to the desk as his head began to spin again. Rita shot a quick look at Tess and Zoe and shook her head. Just as Zoe took a step towards him Cal suddenly straightened up, spinning around and racing in the direction of the toilets once again.

"I've got this." Zoe said, shaking her head. "Can someone go and get Ethan to take over his patients?" She called back as she walked in the direction of the toilets.

"Cal?" She called, pushing the door open, relieved to find the toilets empty apart from cal who was once again crouched over the toilet.

"Do you often hang out in the men's toilets?" He joked, accepting the hand that Zoe held out to pull him up off the floor.

Zoe chuckled quietly. "Only on special occasions." She stood leaning against the wall as Cal washed his hands, watching her suspiciously in the mirror. "Right, come on!" She announced as he turned towards the door.

"What?" He frowned at her in confusion.

"Ethan's covering your patients and you are coming to the staff room with me for a break. No arguments." Zoe told him, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him along.

"This is ridiculous." Cal argued, sitting down on the sofa in the staff room and watching as Zoe made herself a coffee.

"If we could trust you to take care of yourself we wouldn't have to do this." She told him, turning to face him with her hands on her hips. "you're a mess Cal, what is it going to take for you to admit that you're not well?"

Cal didn't answer her question, instead focusing on trying to ignore the nauseating smell of Zoe's coffee. "You sound like Ethan." He told her, forcing himself up from the sofa and stumbling over to get a glass of water.

"Why don't you lie down for a bit?" Zoe told him, watching as he leant heavily against the counter. "I'm not going to let you treat anyone else today so you may as well. You're stuck here until Ethan finishes because I don't want you going home on your own."

Cal rolled his eyes, walking back over to the sofa and sitting down heavily. He was feeling increasingly light headed and having a hard time focusing on what Zoe was saying to him.

"Doctor Knight, why are you sitting in here when there are patients waiting to be treated?" Connie asked, marching in to the staff room and glaring at Zoe. "You too doctor Hanna."

"Connie, look at the state of him. You can't seriously expect him to work like this!" Zoe argued, pointing to cal who was slumped on the sofa, his eyes squeezed shut tightly in an attempt to stop the spinning sensation.

Shaking her head at Connie Zoe approached him, pushing him so he was lying flat on the sofa. "Cal?" She shook him gently and got no response. "Cal, can you hear me?"

Connie suddenly appeared next to her as Cal mumbled something incoherent in response. "How long has he been like this?" She asked Zoe.

"He wasn't well yesterday, then he came in this morning with a fever and a cough. He'd fainted and needed stitches. Then you insisted he started working!" She told Connie angrily, still shaking Cal in an attempt to get some kind of response out of him.

"You could've told me he hadn't just got a hangover!" Connie snapped, turning around to find Rita standing in the doorway. "Get us a wheelchair!"

Rita came back almost instantly, helping them to pull him of the sofa and in to the chair. "Thanks Rita. Can you try and find Ethan?" Zoe asked as she pushed cal towards the door. Rita nodded and quickly disappeared in search of him.

Ethan burst through the door in to resus just as Connie and Zoe had managed to get Cal on to a bed. "Right Rita! Get me a full set of bloods now!" Connie called as she appeared behind Ethan who stood at the foot of the bed, slightly shell shocked by the scene in front of him.

"Cal? Can you hear me?" Zoe tried again, still getting no response from him. "Temperature is 40.8" Zoe said, exchanging a worried look with Connie who pulled her stethoscope from around her neck and proceeded to listen to his chest.

"Let's get some fluids in to him ASAP and get his temperature down!" She instructed quickly as Zoe turned to Ethan who was frozen to the spot at the end of the bed.

"What happened?" He asked Zoe as he watched his friends busy themselves treating his brother.

Zoe shook her head. "I dragged him in to the staff room for a break and he passed out on the sofa. His temperature is way too high and he's very dehydrated. I'm sure with some rest and fluids he will be fine." Zoe reassured him, squeezing his arm gently. "He just pushed himself too hard,"

"He always has been stubborn!" Ethan told her, cracking a small smile. "He likes to think he's superman."

Zoe laughed. "I'm sure he'll be awake and giving us all grief soon enough, don't you worry! You stay with him and I'll go sort out your patients." She told him, disappearing out the doors before Ethan had a chance to thank her.

Connie flashed him a sympathetic smile as he pulled up a chair next to his brother before disappearing to check on her other patients, leaving Ethan alone as he waited for his brother to wake up.


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't long before Cal started to come around, pulling at the oxygen mask that was on his face as he mumbled incoherently. "No, Cal. Stop." Ethan said, trying to restrain his semi conscious brother in order to stop him pulling the drip out of his arm.

Zoe quickly rushed to Ethan's aid once she realised what was happening. "Cal!" She called, grabbing his arm and pinning it by his side. "Cal, it's Zoe. You need to listen to me okay? You collapsed in the staff room, do you remember?"

Cal stopped struggling and Ethan and Zoe released his arms. "What happened?" He mumbled, blinking rapidly as his eyes tried to adjust to the bright lights of resus.

"You should've listened to your brother- that's what happened!" Zoe laughed, turning to the monitor to check them.

Cal started laughing, but it quickly turned in to a coughing fit as he struggled to catch his breath. "I'm fine." He choked out eventually as Ethan and Zoe both watched him with concern as he tried to sit up.

"Just shut up and do as your told for once." Zoe ordered, pushing him back so he was lying down before handing him the oxygen mask back.

"This is so unnecessary." Cal moaned, glaring at his brother.

"Don't try and blame this on me! if you'd been at home in bed where you should've been then there wouldn't be a problem would there?" Ethan retorted.

Zoe laughed as Cal pulled a face at his brother before reluctantly returning the oxygen mask to his face. "I'm sending you for a chest X-ray, no arguments!" She said, holding up a hand as Cal opened his mouth to protest. "If you behave yourself and cooperate then maybe I'll think about allowing you to go home. Deal?"

Cal rolled his eyes before eventually nodding in agreement. "Fine!" He sighed dramatically, relaxing back against the pillows as Zoe walked away laughing quietly to herself.

"Ah, Doctor Knight. I hope you're being the model patient and not giving your colleagues any grief." Connie said, standing at the end of the bed a couple of hours later.

Rita laughed quietly from the other side of Cal's bed where she was doing his obs. "He's been an absolute nightmare. I thought he was bad to work with, turns out he's even more of a pain in the ass to have as a patient!"

Connie cracked a small smile before turning back to Cal. "Now then Doctor Knight, tell me because I'm curious- did you learn about things such a fevers in medical school? Because what should someone be doing when they have a fever of forty degrees?"

"Resting." Cal muttered.

"Yes exactly, and for some reason you thought it would be appropriate to work a ten hour shift yesterday and then attempt to complete another shift today!"

"You told me to stop taking up one of your beds with a hangover!" Cal shot back at her, cringing as he realised he'd inadvertently suggested Connie was to blame.

"I was not in full possession of the facts doctor knight, had you have told me what was going on i would've sent you straight home I can assure you." Connie snapped back at him.

Rita stifled a laugh, seeing cal rendered speechless for what was quite possibly the first time.

"Anyway, the reason I am here- having studied your chest X-ray I would like to congratulate you on having managed to contract pneumonia, most likely as a result of your inability to admit that you are unwell and take care of yourself accordingly. Your brothers shift finishes in an hour, at which point you will be free to leave. I don't expect to see you back in my ED until you are fully recovered. Understood?" She turned on her heel and disappeared before Cal had the opportunity to answer her.

As the door swung closed behind the clinical lead Rita dissolved in to a fit of laugher, trying to pull herself together incase Connie came back. "God I wish I'd filmed that!" She laughed, walking over to Cal who still looked rather embarrassed by the whole situation. "You stay put, I'll send Ethan in when he's done." Rita told him, heading for the exit, still laughing quietly to herself as she walked out in to reception.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to Jinxy13112 for the reminder that I'd forgotten to post this haha!

* * *

><p>"Nibbles! Thank god, please tell me you're ready to go! I'm dying of boredom in here!" Cal announced as his brother walked in to the cubicle.<p>

"Not enjoying being a patient? Or are you just terrified Connie might come back for round two? I have to say I'm incredibly disappointed I missed that! From what Rita tells me it was rather amusing!" Ethan laughed.

Cal rolled his eyes, sitting up on the bed and glaring at his brother. "Shut up and get me out of here." He pleaded, coughing violently.

Ethan frowned at him. "Are you really sure you should be leaving?" He put a hand up to his brothers forehead which was quickly swatted away. "You've still got a fever."

Cal groaned, flopping back on to the bed. "Come on Ethan! I'll be fine."

"You've been telling me you're fine all week and as it turns out you have pneumonia so please forgive me if I don't believe you." Ethan retorted.

"This is exactly why I told you I was fine! I knew you'd massively over react!" Cal argued.

"What are you two bickering about now?!" Zoe pulled the curtain back and glared at them both. "Well?"

"Nothing, nibbles here was just about to take me home." Cal answered, shooting a warning glare in his brothers direction. The last thing he needed was Ethan to convince Zoe to make him stay any longer.

Zoe raised an eyebrow at him. "Can you be trusted to rest if I let you leave?" She asked Cal. "I don't want to see you back here until you've fully recovered and are ready to work- understood?"

Cal rolled his eyes at her. "Yeah, yeah... Save your breath Connie already gave me the lecture." He said, sliding down of the bed slowly and praying he'd keep his balance this time.

Zoe shook her head. "I'm only letting you go because I know if we try and admit you you'l, be a total pain in the ass for everyone involved. Don't make me regret it!" She warned before walking away.

"Right then, let's go." Ethan said reluctantly. He could just tell his brother was going to be a total pain to have around the flat while he was off sick. He watched warily as his brother made his way out of the ED slowly and rather unsteadily. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" He asked, voicing his concerns as they finally reached the car.

"Stop worrying and drive Ethan." Cal muttered, leaning back against the seat as Ethan finally started the car.

* * *

><p>Much to Ethan's surprise,, Cal had gone more or less straight to bed once they got back to the flat, with no arguments. Despite his continual claims that he was fine and ready to go home he still wasn't feeling well, the prospect of having to spend several days laying in bed while he recovered wasn't filling him with joy either. He'd never been particularly good at admitting when he was unwell and taking time off to allow his body to recover. He much preferred to just push through it and keep working, but he knew there was no chance of Ethan letting him do that.<p>

Right on cue he heard the bedroom door creak open, Ethan's head peering around. "Are you okay?" Ethan asked as his brother rolled over to face him.

Cal rolled his eyes. "Do you have nothing better to do on a Saturday night than stay here and worry about me?"

"You didn't answer my question." Ethan promoted, watching as his brother started coughing again.

"And you didn't answer mine!" Cal retorted after he'd caught his breath.

"Well, I was supposed to be working but Zoe made me come home with you because she doesn't trust you either!" Ethan told him. "So now we're both stuck here!"

Cal pulled a face. "What do you think I'm going to do? Go out drinking in this state?"

"There's no telling with you Cal!" Ethan laughed. "On a serious note though, are you okay? Do you want me to get you anything?"

Cal shook his head. "I'm fine, stop fusing! You're going to drive me insane if you keep this up!"

Ethan laughed, holding up his hands and backing out of the door. "Sorry, I'm going." He laughed, closing the door behind him and finally leaving his brother in peace.


	6. Chapter 6

"Did I over hear that your brother is coming back tomorrow?" Rita asked walking in to the staff room.

Ethan nodded. "Thankfully! This has been the longest week of my life!" He muttered. "You wouldn't believe how annoying he can be!"

Rita laughed. "I can imagine! Has it really been that bad?"

Ethan rolled his eyes. "He is seriously not cut out to be a patient. If Zoe had admitted him the poor nurses that got stuck with him would never have forgiven her! It's like it's physically impossible for him to sit still!" He could feel himself getting annoyed just talking out it.

"I've got to admit I feel sorry for you!" Rita told him, pulling her coat on as they headed for the door. "I have no idea how you can live with him- there's been a few times I've wanted to hit him after spending the day with him!"

He laughed at the image in his head of Rita hitting his brother. "I did hit him once, when we were younger." He told her. "I ended up breaking my thumb, so I'm not giving him this satisfaction of that again... Trust me, I've considered it this week."

"Good luck!" Rita laughed as Ethan got in to his car.

* * *

><p>"Cal?" Ethan called as he stepped through the front door. The flat was unusually quiet. "Cal!" He called, louder this time. He went in to the living from, frowning in confusion as he spotted the sofa empty. "Cal! Where are you?"<p>

"Nibbles..." Cal suddenly appeared in the doorway looking rather flushed. "I wasn't expecting you to be back so soon..."

"Are you alright?" Ethan asked, watching as his brother shifted uncomfortably in the doorway. "Have you got a fever again? I can call Zoe for you if you're not ready to go back tomorrow."

Cal shook his head quickly. "No, no. I'm fine, I'll be there. I'm just going to head back to bed, get an early night." He said, going back towards his bedroom.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ethan asked again. "You're acting really weird."

"Yeah, everything's-"

"Cal! What's taking you so long?" A female voice interrupted him.

"Cal!" Ethan complained as he realised what was going on. "What did I say? No random women!"

"Oh, hi Ethan!" Taylor greeted him, peering around Cal's bedroom door.

"Yes, um... Hello." Ethan greeted her awkwardly, glaring at his brother. "You were given a week off work to rest and recover!"

"I think you'll find Taylor makes a very good nurse!" Cal laughed. "Anyway, if you'll excuse me..." He walked back down the hallway to his bedroom.

"Actually, maybe Taylor might like to put some clothes on and maybe you could both go to her flat instead?" Ethan suggested, but Cal just ignored him and slammed the bedroom door shut behind him.

* * *

><p>"All I'm saying is it would be nice if you could maybe show a little respect!" Ethan argued as they made their way in to the ED the next morning. "I asked you not to bring random women back to my flat several times!"<p>

Cal rolled his eyes. "She's hardly a random girl Ethan... Relax!"

"That's not the point though is it? I said you could stay with me for a couple of nights and you've managed to turn it in to a permanent arrangement. Before I know it you will have moved Taylor in too!" Ethan argued as they reached the staff room.

"About that..." Cal said, laughing as he saw the look on Ethan's face. "I'm kidding! Relax, did someone get out of bed on the wrong side this morning?" He teased.

"Maybe it has something to do with the lack of sleep I got last night." Ethan retorted.

"Ah, how I've missed your bickering!" Robyn laughed as she walked in to the staff room with Rita.

"Feeling better I take it?" Rita asked Cal who was grinning at Ethan.

"Fully recovered and ready to go!" Cal smiled, hanging his stethoscope round his neck. "Come on Nibbles, patients to see!"

Ethan shot Robyn and Rita a look of despair. "Can I just say I think I preferred you when you were ill! You were a lot less annoying when you spent all day asleep on the sofa."

"I'm with Ethan!" Rita added. "It's been so peaceful around here without you!"

"Thanks guys!" Cal said, pretending to be offended. "Nice to know I was missed!"

"Doctor Knight, how nice of you to join us again!" Cal turned around to find Connie standing behind him. "Now that you've returned perhaps you'd like to stop tormenting your brother and get on with your job?" She suggested, walking away before Cal had a chance to supply.

"Ah... It's good to be back!" Cal laughed, heading off to find his first patient.


End file.
